SELECTION OF A NEW RED-FLESHED KIWIFRUIT CULTIVAR 'CHUHONG'

‘Chuhong’ is a new early maturing red-fleshed kiwifruit cultivar selected from wild plants of Actinidia chinensis var. rufopulpa. The fruit has red flesh color around the central core and shows an attractive green-red-yellow pattern from outer to inner parts in cross section. The fruit is fine and tender in texture with thick sweet taste and rich refreshing aroma. Average soluble solids content of ripe fruit is 16.5%, maximum 21%; the acid content is 1.47%, and SSC/acid ratio is 11.2. ‘Chuhong’ fruit has a long elliptic shape and dark green skin color, and is hairless. Average weight of fruit is 80 g, with a maximum of 121 g under good orchard management. The fruit grows rapidly and can reach 85–90% of its final size during the first month after fruit set but growth rate is much lower subsequently. Changes in soluble solids content can be divided into four stages: a comparatively stable period; a slow increase period; a rapid increase period; and a stagnating increase period. The best harvest time of ‘Chuhong’ is from late August to mid September in Changsha when soluble solids content is in the rapid growth period. It is the earliest to mature of all the kiwifruit cultivars that we have compared. The red flesh color is more intense when fruit is grown at higher altitudes, while fruit taste is enhanced when grown at lower altitudes.